Telematics generally refers to the integration of telecommunications and informatics, and is often described in the context of sending and receiving information about moving objects by means of telecommunication devices. A well-known use of telematics is in regard to vehicles, and with control of moving vehicles, such as haulage trucks, devices such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) can be used to provide additional information beyond that provided by the vehicle itself. Telematics are of particular use in industries such as fleet management, which might also include tracking the location and operation of ships, trains, and planes.
Information about vehicle usage also has a bearing on factors such as insurance. Heavily-used vehicles are on the road more often, and this type of information is useful for the insurance industry. However telematics information such as that provided by GPS is largely macro in nature, and does not necessarily reflect the micro-conditions of day-to-day driving. As such, conventional telematics information is generally less pertinent for monitoring casual vehicle users, and is typically not intended for providing information of particular interest to insurers, such as the number of passengers in a vehicle at the time of an accident. These are the general areas that embodiments of the invention are intended to address.